Being pregnant requires extra health and safety considerations to offer the most advantageous developmental period for a fetus to mature into a thriving, healthy newborn. An expecting parent takes these precautions as part of daily life for the well-being of a child. However, preventing every threat is impossible, particularly when a Houston car accident threatens the health of your unborn child.
Many dangers to a fetus may go undetected until birth. New parents must then face financial burdens, emotional struggles, and the task of determining what legal avenues are available for compensation for the extraordinary damages. The Mejia Law Firm provides the highest level of support to individuals requiring the guidance of a Houston car accident lawyer to seek compensation for personal injury resulting from a car accident while pregnant.
Car Accidents While Pregnant May Create an Increased Risk of Maternal Death and Complications
Suffering injuries in a car accident while pregnant puts a pregnant individual’s life in critical danger, as well as their unborn child’s. Studies conducted mainly in the U.S. and other developed countries concluded specific risks exist for a pregnant person and the fetus in a car crash during pregnancy. In this study, for the 1000 pregnancies impacted by car accidents vs those with no history of car accidents during pregnancy, researchers observed the following:
- Maternal deaths occurred in 3.6 incidents
- Fetal death or stillbirths resulted in 6.6 car accidents
- Labor induction occurred in 276.43 cases
- Preterm delivery resulted in 191.90 births
- Delivery by cesarean section occurred in 166.65 births
This study also noted an increased risk of adverse outcomes for individuals injured in a car accident during their second trimester while driving a car.
Pregnancy Injuries Resulting From a Car Accident in Houston
Experiencing any of these injuries as a result of negligence in a car accident in Houston when you are pregnant may legally entitle you to compensation damages. Medical care and documentation are critical to your claim, but more significantly, to the health of an unborn child. To understand more, you should discuss the potential for these dangers to an unborn child resulting from a car accident with your obstetrician.
Placental Abruption
The most common cause of perinatal death resulting from trauma is placental abruption. This pregnancy injury causes the placenta to become wholly or partially separated from the uterus’s inner wall before delivery. When placental abruption results from a car accident, the fetus may experience a decrease or blockage in vital nutrients and oxygen. The pregnant individual may experience the following symptoms:
- Vaginal bleeding
- Uterine contractions, tenderness, or rigidness
- Abdominal pain
- Back pain
Placental abruption can occur instantly or develop slowly, resulting in delayed fetal growth and other complications.
Coup and Contra-Coup Injuries
Just like other passengers, an unborn baby may suffer brain injuries in a car accident caused by the brain impacting against the skull. This jarring motion causes a bruise, or coup lesion, at the impact site. Then, as the brain thrusts backward, it hits the opposite side of the skull, resulting in a contrecoup lesion. Traumatic brain injuries may cause permanent disability for an unborn child.
High-Risk Pregnancy
Pregnancies impacted by a Texas car accident may be identified as high risk. Many of these risks, such as preterm delivery and miscarriage, were documented in the study above. High-risk pregnancies lead to maternal and fetal dangers and often result in:
- Lost wages due to missed work and forced bed rest
- Heightened medical expenses
- Increased medication needs
- Emotional trauma
- Increased costs to meet daily needs, such as using grocery delivery services
Managing and treating a high-risk pregnancy is ongoing until the birth of a child. Learn more about the preventive steps the Cleveland Clinic recommends to take and the prognoses of high-risk pregnancies.
Shock
Signs of shock from trauma are often missed because of the pregnant body’s ability to physiologically offset the damages from a car accident. A body suffering injury during pregnancy may require more blood flow to affected areas, redirecting and reducing critical blood flow from the uterus to bodily injuries, resulting in fetal distress. While a pregnant patient’s vitals may remain stable following a car accident, the fetus’s unstable vitals may go undetected.
Congenital Disabilities
The dangers of premature births resulting from a car accident in Houston also include significant congenital disabilities. Babies born before their bodies fully develop are at an increased risk for:
- Underdeveloped lungs
- Jaundice
- Anemia
- Underdeveloped blood vessels in the eyes
- Intestinal inflammation
- Hemorrhage or brain bleeds
Not only do congenital disabilities resulting from premature birth impact an infant, but these dangers may cause an increase in postpartum depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and bonding challenges for a parent. Having a newborn should be an exciting, happy time for a family. However, being injured in a car accident while pregnant can result in significant hardship.
Steps to Take After Being in a Car Accident While Pregnant
Whether or not you experience signs of injury following a car accident, it is critical to take proactive steps to protect your health and the health of your child. Even in minor accidents, schedule a follow-up appointment with your doctor as soon as possible for a checkup and medical review. In accidents with apparent injuries, take these steps:
- Call 911 and request medical assistance, explaining that you are pregnant.
- Accept care from medical professionals and follow any prescribed care practices, such as bed rest.
- Take note of any changes to your health, such as swelling, headaches, or spotting.
- Compile documentation from the accident, like medical records, photos from the accident, and witness contact information.
- Contact a Houston car accident attorney.
A claim with the insurance company should be filed as soon as possible. However, it may take time to uncover all the injuries resulting from a car accident while pregnant. Discussing your damages with a Houston car accident attorney before contacting the insurance company will allow us to address actions that may negatively impact your claim.
We are excellent mediators and negotiators, recognized for our ability to demand fair compensation from insurance companies for our clients. Additionally, when a settlement does not accurately reflect our clients’ damages, a Houston car accident attorney with The Mejia Law Firm will be ready to represent your case in court.
Protecting Against the Dangers of a Car Accident While Pregnant
More than anything, you want to protect your unborn child and provide them with every health advantage possible when they are born. To protect against injuries in a car accident in Houston while pregnant, take these precautions:
- Wear your seatbelt correctly, securing the lap belt under the belly and on the hips.
- Never drive when you are having contractions, feel excessively tired, or even nauseated. Pull over when these symptoms occur.
- Sit in the backseat when possible to avoid front airbags should a car accident occur. Adjust the seat away from the dash if you must ride in the front passenger seat.
- Take adequate breaks when driving long distances.
Even individuals taking extreme precautions during pregnancy may suffer car accident injuries due to no fault of their own. The Mejia Law Firm strives to hold negligent drivers accountable for a client’s damages. Pregnancy is a critical time of development for your child. We’re ready to fight for your child’s ability to thrive against any odds.